[4] Officially, activities on September eighteen are centered on a religious celebration "Te Deum Ecuménico de Fiestas Patrias".

Many Chileans travel during the Fiestas Patrias to visit family, friends and relatives in other parts of the country and join the celebrations there.

In Santiago, many people travel to resorts on the Pacific coast, especially Viña del Mar and the Litoral Central region.

19 September, the anniversary of the installation of the First Government Council and the very first military parade in Chilean history, marks the grand finale: the Great Military Parade of Chile commemorating the glories of the Chilean Army, on Santiago's O'Higgins Park and overseen by the President of Chile in his/her performance of his/her constitutional mandate as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

[6] Fondas are venues, often tents, prepared and decorated for the Fiestas Patrias where traditional Chilean dishes and beverages are served.

The filling of these empanadas consist of pino, a mixture of chopped beef and onion, as well as half of a hard-boiled egg, and an olive.

They consist of two lightly breaded cookies joined with manjar, a sweet filling made from caramelized condensed milk.